Ruan pumped to be in triple-A

Victoria Sun

Tuesday, July 23, 2002 | 8:57 a.m.

An hour before the 51s beat the Tucson Sidewinders 6-5 for their ninth consecutive victory Monday night, outfielder Wilkin Ruan stood alone in the hallway outside the Cashman Field clubhouse lifting weights.

Playing for a new team in an unfamiliar city hasn't lessened his desire to improve.

Ruan was one of three players called up from double-A Jacksonville Saturday. Though he speaks limited English, he happily recited his thoughts on being in triple-A for the first time in a six-year career.

"I try to work hard, the same like in double-A," Ruan said. "I try to get better. I have to work a lot on my batting, my fielding and baserunning. (Improve) my on-base percentage."

Born in Ramon Santana, Dominican Republic, Ruan was acquired by the Dodgers from Montreal in the March trade that sent Matt Herges and Jorge Nunez to the Expos.

At Jacksonville, he hit .253 with three home runs, 16 doubles, 34 RBIs and 23 stolen bases in 78 games.

Stealing bases, Ruan said with a smile, is his specialty.

"I want to be like Rickey Henderson," he said.

Ruan's older brother, outfielder Rafael Alberto, played in the Expos' organization from 1991-93.

"I asked him sometimes about fielding the ball, swinging and practice," Ruan said.

Las Vegas shortstop Chris Clapinski hit a solo homer, left fielder Phil Hiatt tripled in Chin-Feng Chen and right fielder Luke Allen doubled in Hiatt. Hiatt's two-run homer put the 51s up 6-2 in the seventh.

Tucson third baseman Brian Dallimore, son of former UNLV baseball coach Fred Dallimore, answered with a three-run shot off reliever Victor Alvarez in the eighth.